Town keeper targets more clean sheets

Rosie Swarbrick

Fleetwood Town keeper Alex Cairns is keen to build on his fine clean sheet record.

Cairns has picked up three clean sheets in seven appearances this season – with two in their last three against Shrewsbury Town.

Cairns kept a clean slate in Fleetwood’s 3-0 league win over Salop and tamed the Shrews at their own turf as Town drew 0-0 in their FA Cup second round clash last Saturday.

Sandwiched inbetween that was a 2-2 draw at AFC Wimbledon but, as Town prepare to face Walsall in League One, Cairns is eager to continue to make Highbury a fortress and maintain an unbeaten league streak that dates back to September.

He said: “If you can make your home your fortress you have always got a chance so we will carry on doing that and I will be looking to get another clean sheet if possible.

“I know me and the defenders, we base ourselves on clean sheets, if we do that it is sort of our job done.

“Obviously we did not get the goal that we were hoping we could get (at Shrewsbury) but as a goalkeeper and defending as a team we were happy to keep a clean sheet.”

Town switched to a 3-5-2 wing-back formation in extra-time of their FA Cup first round replay against Southport and have stuck with it ever since.

And Cairns says it suits head coach Uwe Rosler’s attacking ethos and his style of playing out from the back.

He said: “When the gaffer came in he wanted us to play a certain way I think all the lads have bought into it.

“I think near enough any formation we would try and play that way.

“I think the gaffer has done well to fit that and I think we are still playing well out from the back and using every player on the pitch.

“We play quite a wide game; I think near enough in any formation you look to get your players on the ball, obviously the wing-backs with Amari’i Bell and Conor McLaughlin are great players.

“I like to play out from the back and knowing those players want the ball helps me and the back three they are always happy to get on the ball.

“But it is good for me to know that I can make that decision to get the lads playing.”